Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Luisa Futoransky

SOUTH BANK SELFIE

After a long time living in the back yard
of cities that scintillate
I begin
recounting one:

my city is not foundationally evasive but became that way over time;
evading reality out of some sort of defensive bad habit,
when it comes to dodging she dribbles like in soccer,
she lies in truco, bluffs for all she’s worth
until even she believes herself
she rewrites history
and is left no choice but to entertain herself
repatriating remains,

for these and other great weaknesses, my city
wears a cape of pure paradox
invisible to those from outside
in other words she believes blindly in one thing and its opposite

sometimes my city is diagnosed with schizophrenia
and autism in severe proportions
add to this a haughty pride
and the lifelike portrait is hardly attractive

a city in short of little check
and a lot of mate

and I who know not how to swim
flail
I flail to keep my head above water
but what of my feet

Selfie Costanera Sur

Selfie Costanera Sur

Tras largo vivir en el patio trasero
de ciudades rutilantes
empiezo
contando una:

mi ciudad no es fundacionalmente huidiza pero se fue haciendo así;
por una suerte de vicio defensivo esquiva la realidad,
puesta a esquivar gambetea como en el fútbol,
miente en el truco miente a más no poder
hasta que ella misma se la cree
modifica la historia
y no le queda otra que entretenerse
repatriando restos,

mi ciudad por estas y otras grandes debilidades
viste una capa de pura paradoja
invisible para los de afuera
es decir cree a pie juntillas en una cosa y su contrario

a veces diagnostican a mi ciudad esquizofrenia
y autismo en severas proporciones
si a eso le sumás soberbia y un menosprecio
el cuadro verista es poco tentador

ciudad en suma, de poco jaque
y mucho mate

y yo que sin saber nadar
manoteo
manoteo por sacar la cabeza fuera del agua
y los piés qué
Close

SOUTH BANK SELFIE

After a long time living in the back yard
of cities that scintillate
I begin
recounting one:

my city is not foundationally evasive but became that way over time;
evading reality out of some sort of defensive bad habit,
when it comes to dodging she dribbles like in soccer,
she lies in truco, bluffs for all she’s worth
until even she believes herself
she rewrites history
and is left no choice but to entertain herself
repatriating remains,

for these and other great weaknesses, my city
wears a cape of pure paradox
invisible to those from outside
in other words she believes blindly in one thing and its opposite

sometimes my city is diagnosed with schizophrenia
and autism in severe proportions
add to this a haughty pride
and the lifelike portrait is hardly attractive

a city in short of little check
and a lot of mate

and I who know not how to swim
flail
I flail to keep my head above water
but what of my feet

SOUTH BANK SELFIE

After a long time living in the back yard
of cities that scintillate
I begin
recounting one:

my city is not foundationally evasive but became that way over time;
evading reality out of some sort of defensive bad habit,
when it comes to dodging she dribbles like in soccer,
she lies in truco, bluffs for all she’s worth
until even she believes herself
she rewrites history
and is left no choice but to entertain herself
repatriating remains,

for these and other great weaknesses, my city
wears a cape of pure paradox
invisible to those from outside
in other words she believes blindly in one thing and its opposite

sometimes my city is diagnosed with schizophrenia
and autism in severe proportions
add to this a haughty pride
and the lifelike portrait is hardly attractive

a city in short of little check
and a lot of mate

and I who know not how to swim
flail
I flail to keep my head above water
but what of my feet
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère